Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | Delano Railroad Bridge Great Northern Railway Bridge #38.8 |
| Built By | Great Northern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York (Main Spans) Bethlehem Steel Company of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (Approach Spans) |
| Unknown | |
| Length | 305 Feet Total, 80 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 40 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder, Steel Stringer and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1904, Approaches Added 1945 |
| Traffic Count | 15 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Great Northern Railway Bridge Number | 38.8 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 38.8 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/7/2014 |
In 1867, the First Division of The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company constructed 14.70 miles of new railroad between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Lake Junction (Wayzata). Work would continue westward in 1868, with an additional 29 miles constructed to Howard Lake, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1869, with 49 more miles constructed, reaching Willmar, Minnesota. Work resumed in 1870, with 31 more miles constructed to Benson, and an additional 81 miles would be constructed to Breckenridge, Minnesota; located on the western Minnesota border. The railroad would be sold to the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (StPM&M) in 1879.
During the 1880s, the StPM&M would acquire and construct a large amount of railroad lines throughout Minnesota. Owned by railroad magnate James J. Hill, the railroad would continue to grow into the 1890s, before being sold to the Great Northern Railway (GN) in 1907. The GN, like the StPM&M, was owned by James J. Hill, and the railroad would eventually reach the Pacific Coast at Seattle in 1893. The GN utilized this as a mainline, connecting the railroad town of Willmar to the Twin Cities, and to agricultural markets in Western Minnesota. In 1970, GN merged with rival Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern Railroad. BN was in turn merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996, to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the Minneapolis to Willmar portion of this line as the Wayzata Subdivision.
Located in Delano, this large deck plate girder bridge crosses the Crow River. Crossings at this location date to 1868, when the first bridge was constructed. The current bridge was constructed in 1904, and features three deck plate girder spans, set onto stone and concrete substructures. Originally, the bridge featured a 50-foot through plate girder span on the east end. In 1945, the bridge would be reconstructed, and new approaches added. On the west end, a steel stringer span would be added, and the old west abutment converted to a pier. On the east end, a steel stringer and a slab span would be added to replace the through girder. The 1945 substructures would be constructed of concrete. This style of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Builders Plaques |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |